New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘SAKIMP026’

ABSTRACT

A New Guinea  Impatiens  plant particularly distinguished by having a bright coral flower color, strong root system and a compact plant growth habit is disclosed.

Genus and species: Impatiens hybrida hort.

Variety denomination: ‘SAKIMP026’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises of a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens, botanically known as Impatiens hybrida hort, and referred to by the variety name ‘SAKIMP026’. Line ‘SAKIMP026’ originated from a hybridization between the female Impatiens line ‘NE-5331’, an unpatented proprietary Impatiens breeding line with an orange flower color and the male Impatiens line ‘NG-422’, an unpatented proprietary Impatiens breeding line with a red flower color in Misato, Japan.

In October 2008, the female parent line ‘NE-5331’and male parent line ‘NG-422’ were crossed and a population of F₁ plants was created. The F₁ plants were evaluated in Misato, Japan in an open field trial. The criteria for plant selection included a beautiful bright coral flower color, strong root system and a compact plant growth habit. At the completion of the trial, one single-plant selection was made based on the aforementioned criteria and vegetatively propagated. From May 2010 to August 2010, the selection was evaluated in an open field in Misato, Japan. The selection subsequently was named ‘SAKIMP026’. The selection has been asexually propagated by means of vegetative cuttings at Salinas, Calif., and has been found to retain all of its unique characteristics and reproduce true to type in successive generations though such vegetative propagation.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new variety when grown under normal horticultural practices in Salinas, Calif.

-   -   1. Bright coral flower color;     -   2. Strong root system; and     -   3. A compact plant growth habit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This Impatiens plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographs which show the plant's overall plant habit including form, foliage, and flowers. The photographs are of a four-month-old plant grown in Salinas, Calif. under greenhouse conditions in the spring of 2012. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit of the plant grown in a pot.

FIG. 2 shows the mature inflorescence of the plant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘SAKIMP026’. The data which define these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Salinas, Calif. Data was collected on four-month-old plants grown under greenhouse conditions in Salinas, Calif. in the summer of 2012. Color references are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 4^(th) edition (2001).

-   Classification:     -   -   Family.—Balsaminaceae.         -   Botanical.—Impatiens interspecific cross (Impatiens hybrida             hort).         -   Common.—Impatiens.         -   Designation.—‘SAKIMP026’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Impatiens plant line ‘NE-5331’             (unpatented).         -   Male parent.—Proprietary Impatiens plant line ‘NG-422’             (unpatented). -   Growth:     -   -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About 4 weeks.         -   Environmental conditions for plant growth.—The terminal 1.0             to 1.5 inches of an actively growing stem was excised. The             vegetative cuttings were propagated in five to six weeks.             The base of the cuttings were dipped for 1 to 2 seconds in a             1:9 solution of Dip 'N Grow (1 solution: 9 water) root             inducing solution immediately prior to sticking into the             cell trays. Cuttings were stuck into plastic cell trays             having 98 cells, and containing a moistened peat moss-based             growing medium. The cuttings were misted with water from             overhead for 10 seconds every 30 minutes until sufficient             roots were formed. Rooted cuttings were transplanted and             grown in 6-inch plastic pots in a glass greenhouse located             in Salinas, Calif. Pots contained a peat moss-based growing             medium. Soluble fertilizer containing 20% nitrogen, 10%             phosphorus and 20% potassium was applied once a day or every             other day by overhead irrigation. Plants were fertilized             every 2 to 3 days, 2 times in consecutive applications and             then given one clear water application. Pots were             top-dressed with a dry, slow release fertilizer containing             14% nitrogen, 14% phosphorus and 14% potassium. The typical             average air temperature was 24° C.         -   Time to bloom from propagation.—6 to 8 weeks. -   Plant description:     -   -   Habit.—Compact.         -   Life cycle.—Tender perennial.         -   Height (from soil line to top of foliage).—18.0 cm.         -   Spread.—42.0 cm.         -   Flowering requirements.—Will flower so long as temperature             is above 5° C.         -   Temperature tolerances.—Plants observed to continue             flowering in a temperature range of 5° C. to 36° C. Plants             can withstand high heat and humidity. -   Branches:     -   -   Number of branches.—4 main branches, 12 branches total.         -   Length of branches.—Approximately 1.0 cm from soil line to             first node, approximately 12.0 cm total.         -   Diameter of branches.—1.0 cm, main branch.         -   Color of branches.—RHS N187A (Greyed-Purple). -   Stems:     -   -   General.—Strong; circular cross-section, smooth and shiny.         -   Stem length.—6.0 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.5 cm.         -   Internode length.—3.0 cm.         -   Color.—Closest to but lighter than RHS 187B (Greyed-Purple).         -   Pubescence.—Slight, fine.         -   Pubescence color.—RHS N155A (White).         -   Anthocyanin color.—Absent. -   Leaves:     -   -   Arrangement.—Whorled with up to 5 leaves per node, opposite             if only two leaves at one node.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate, curled.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Ciliate.         -   Venation.—Pinnate.         -   Venation color.—Upper vein color: RHS 187C (Greyed-Purple).             Lower vein color: RHS 187C (Greyed-Purple).         -   Variegation.—Absent.         -   Surface appearance (both surfaces).—Dull, waxy.         -   Surface pubescence (both surfaces).—Very slight.         -   Surface pubescence color (both surfaces).—RHS N155A (White).         -   Length.—8.0 cm.         -   Width.—4.0 cm.         -   Color.—Upper surface: Darker than RHS 147A (Yellow-Green).             Lower surface: RHS 147B (Yellow-Green) with RHS 187B             (Greyed-Purple) vein.         -   Petiole.—Length: 1.0 cm. Diameter: 0.2 cm. Color: RHS 187C             (Greyed-Purple). Texture: Smooth, glabrous.         -   Fragrance.—Absent. -   Flowers:     -   -   Total number of flowers per node.—1 to 3 in bloom, about 4             to 6 flower buds per node.         -   Total number of flower per plant.—Approximately 70 in bloom.         -   Inflorescence type.—Single flower with spur.         -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—14 days.         -   Fragrance.—Absent. -   Flower buds:     -   -   Bud surface.—Glabrous.         -   Bud length.—1.5 cm.         -   Bud diameter.—1.0 cm.         -   Bud shape.—Deltoid, longitudinal cross-section.         -   Bud color.—RHS 41A (Red) with RHS 187A (Greyed-Purple). -   Peduncle:     -   -   Peduncle length.—4.0 cm.         -   Peduncle diameter.—0.2 cm.         -   Peduncle color.—RHS 185B (Red-Purple).         -   Peduncle texture.—Smooth, glabrous. -   Corolla:     -   -   Shape.—Roughly circular with 5 radial petals.         -   Diameter.—Approximately 5.0 cm.         -   Depth.—0.5 cm to 1.0 cm.         -   Petals.—Shape: Obcordate. Apex: Emarginate (cleaved).             Margin: Entire. Base: Attenuate. Pubescence: Glabrous.             Length: 2.5 cm. Width: 3.8 cm. Color: Upper: RHS 40A (Red).             Lower: RHS 50B (Red). Eye zone: RHS 53A (Red). -   Spur:     -   -   Shape.—Tubular; curved downward.         -   Length.—4.5 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.1 cm.         -   Color.—RHS 53D (Red). -   Calyx:     -   -   Arrangement.—Composed of 2 sepals.         -   Sepals.—Shape: Lanceolate. Base: Subcordate. Apex: Caudate.             Margin: Entire. Texture: Glabrous. Color: RHS 145C             (Yellow-Green). Length: 1.2 cm. Diameter: 0.6 cm. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Stamen number.—Many.         -   Stamen form.—Fused; split into 4 lobes.         -   Filament length.—0.5 cm.         -   Anther length.—0.4 cm.         -   Stamen color.—Anther color: RHS 155A (White). Filament             color: RHS 51A (Red).         -   Pollen color.—RHS 155D (White).         -   Pollen amount.—Abundant.         -   Pollen description.—Powdery.         -   Ovary.—Parietal.         -   Ovary surface color.—RHS 145A (Yellow-Green).         -   Pistil number.—5.         -   Stigma color.—RHS 137A (Green).         -   Style length.—0.5 cm.         -   Style color.—RHS 137A (Green).         -   Seed production.—Absent. -   Disease and insect resistance: No particular resistance or     susceptibility observed.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘SAKIMP026’ is a new and unique variety of Impatiens owing to its bright coral flower color, strong root system and a compact plant growth habit. ‘SAKIMP026’ is distinguished from its parents mainly by flower color as shown in Table 1 below:

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parental Lines Female Parent Male Parent Characteristic ‘SAKIMP026’ ‘NE-5331’ ‘NG-422’ Flower color Bright Coral Orange Red

‘SAKIMP026’ is a new and unique variety of Impatiens owing to its bright coral flower color, strong root system and a compact plant growth habit. ‘SAKIMP026’ is most similar to the commercial Impatiens SunPatiens® ‘Compact Coral’ (varietal denomination (‘SAKIMP009’) (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,622); however there are differences in the flower color as described in the table below (color references are to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 4th edition):

TABLE 2 Comparison with Similar Variety Characteristic ‘SAKIMP026’ ‘SAKIMP009’ Petal color, upper RHS 40A (Red) RHS 52C (Red) surface Petal color, lower RHS 50B (Red) RHS 58D (Red-Purple) surface Spur color RHS 53D (Red) RHS 52B (Red) 

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens hybrid plant as shown and described herein. 